"Our engine is the measure of all things in Formula One" - Gerhard Berger

12-19-2003, 01:19 PM

defcon1racing

thanks to e30M3David for some answers

though not what I was personally looking for:

<b>BMW TEAM PTG M3s TO RACE FOR 2004 ROLEX SPORTS CAR SERIES GT
CHAMPIONSHIP
Woodcliff Lake, NJ - December, 19, 2003 ... BMW Team PTG today
announced its
entry of two GT class BMW M3s in the 2004 Rolex Sports Car Series of
the
Grand American Road Racing Association. Racing for BMW of North
America,
LLC, BMW Team PTG is one of North America's premiere sports car racing
teams
and has raced the BMW M3 exclusively since 1995. Having delivered
eleven
championships in the past nine years, this coming season will mark the
debut
of Team PTG in the Rolex Series. Constructed and prepared in-house at
PTG's
Winchester, Va. headquarters, the first M3 is planned to run at the
January
3-5 test at Daytona International Speedway with a second M3 to be
built.

"We are always looking for new challenges and to see where we can
showcase
the BMW M3," said Team PTG owner, Tom Milner. "PTG's roots are in
endurance
racing and we have seen our greatest success in the long distance
races.
Some of the tracks we will see next season will be familiar and a few
will
be new to us, but we look forward to getting back to what BMW Team PTG
does
best." From its trademark front kidney grilles to the slight
rear-to-front
raked stance that identifies a well-balanced rear wheel drive chassis,
the
Team PTG M3s will still rely on the very fine road car that is the BMW
M3.
By the time of the 42nd running of the Rolex 24 at Daytona at the end
of
January every part will have been tested and optimized to enhance the
M3s
performance for the rigors of endurance racing.

First proven in sprint racing competition last year, the Team PTG M3s
will
be powered by BMW's newest generation 3.2-liter inline, six-cylinder
S54
power plant. The same engine as in the production M3, the Team
PTG-modified
version will pump out some 420 horsepower - almost 100 more than the
333
horsepower in the road car. A carbon-fiber body panel and aerodynamic
package will reduce the M3's weight to 2600 pounds and enhance the M3's
handling and braking qualities.
Long time BMW Team PTG drivers Bill Auberlen and Boris Said will return
to
anchor the effort. Team PTG member Justin Marks will also return and be
joined by Joey Hand. Hand, the 2001 Toyota Formula Atlantic Rookie of
the
Year, tested with PTG and was a member of Team PTG's 12 Hours of
Sebring
effort that same year.

"Endurance racing is a great test of both man and machine...", said
Hernando
Carvajal, BMW of North America, LLC, M Brand and Motorsport Manager.
"and
the Rolex Series is the highest mountain we can climb when you look at
the
distances of the 12 scheduled races in 2004." The Rolex Series'
opening
race is its most famous and toughest and the BMW Team PTG M3s have a
very
good record at the Rolex 24 at Daytona, having won the endurance
classic
twice in five attempts.

The Team PTG BMW M3 effort had its very first taste of competition at
the
1995 Rolex 24 at Daytona. Dieter Quester qualified on the class pole,
but
was forced to retire from the race. In 1996, David Donohue claimed the
M3's
second consecutive class pole and qualified next to teammate Peter
Halsmer
for an all M3 GTS-2 front row. Donohue, Javier Quiros, John Paul Jr.
and
Halsmer ultimately finished third in class and ninth overall. In its
finest
two years of competition, during which the team won a total of 24
races, BMW
Team PTG won the GTS-3 class in 1997 and the GT3 class in 1998. Both
Auberlen and Said were part of the winning driving team in those years.
The
last year that BMW Team PTG participated in the Rolex 24 at Daytona was
1999.

Prior to the BMW Team PTG effort, BMW had a GTO class victory in 1981
with
an M1 driven by Hans Stuck, Walter Brun and Rudi Walch. BMW's sole
overall
Rolex 24 victory came in 1976 with the CSL of Brian Redman and Peter
Gregg.
BMW Team PTG will start the season at the Rolex 24 test days at the
Daytona
International Speedway on January 3-5. Practice for the
twice-around-the-clock classic will begin on January 29, 2004.
</b>
<b><FONT FACE=courier new>Shane</FONT></b><FONT FACE=courier new><b><FONT COLOR=0099FF>
def.</FONT><FONT COLOR=0033FF>con</FONT><FONT COLOR=CC0000>.one</FONT></b> <sub><b><FONT COLOR=CC0000>R</FONT></b>acing</sub></FONT>
<FONT COLOR=999999 FONT FACE=courier new>02 Sterling Gray M3 Coupe</FONT>
<IMG SRC=http://members.roadfly.com/defcon1racing/littlelion_sm.jpg>
<img src=http://members.roadfly.com/defcon1racing/advan3.jpg ALT=signature></a>

"Our engine is the measure of all things in Formula One" - Gerhard Berger

12-22-2003, 03:58 AM

ernsthenne

Re: thanks for the link SMT. I hope that PTG doesn\'t

One can thank SCCA and Mitch Wright for their idiotic weight penalties last year. I believe that Tom Milner was incensed by the way he was treated, thus motivating the change to Grand Am. It's not ALMS, but I think they will find a more professional organization than SCCA. ANd the car should be competitive in GT. Remember last year Brian Cunningham was giving the 360 Ferrari and 911 GT3s fits with a 5 year old E36 M3. Roll on, Daytona!